Sandy beaches are rarely accessible by motor vehicle, and it is often necessary to walk a long distance to the water's edge over very loose sand and of course the farthest from where the car is parked is the most desirable part of the beach, namely at or near the high-water mark reached by the breaking surf. The dry sand beyond the high-water mark is often very fine and loose to a considerable depth so that it is easy to lose small objects in the sand, and objects as large as car keys. Even larger objects, such as portable radios or audio tape and disk players that are too big to lose in the sand can become embedded in sand to a point where damage is caused by loose sand if placed directly on the beach. Consequently, it is the practice of many beach goers to carry several objects in a beach bag and at a minimum an umbrella for shade of at least the face, a towel, a pillow for comfort, and a radio, audio tape or laser disk player for entertainment besides personal items, such as lipstick and a comb. All that is much too cumbersome and awkward to carry.
Then there is a fear of losing personal items in the sand and having the entertainment system damaged by loose sand. The dry sand may be loose to such a considerable depth that it becomes difficult to keep the entertainment system from sinking in the sand and to keep an umbrella supported on an upright pole from being tipped over by gusts of wind, or to keep an umbrella tilted at a proper angle to cast shade on the other side of the support pole without it being swivelled on its pole by gusts of wind such that the umbrella will no longer be casting its shade in the desired direction. It is very annoying to have to continually adjust the umbrella under those conditions. Sun bathers typically want to lie with their heads under the umbrella out of the sand and supported by a pillow.